Making titanium alloy and titanium composite welding wire and strip

摘要

Titanium alloy and titanium composite wire or strip for use in additive manufacturing is made by mixing particles of titanium of size 0.5-10 mm with a powdered alloying additive of size 50-250 microns or with reinforcing particles. The mixture is cold compacted at 750-1250 MPa into a body which is held at a temperature in the range 1000-1250 0C for sufficient time to alloy the titanium with other components of the mixture by diffusion, e.g. at least four hours. The alloyed body is hot worked (e.g. extruded) into an elongated form at a temperature within 200 0C of its beta transus temperature, which is rolled and then drawn into wire or strip. The titanium can be sponge, the body held at 1000-1250 0C in an inert atmosphere and the elongated form be annealed at a temperature in the range 400-600 0C for 10-60 minutes before and between rolling steps and before and between drawing steps.